My Scumbag System-Chapter 420: The King’s Gambit, The Queen’s Dare

Akari picked at the hem of Skylar’s oversized black shirt, which barely covered her thighs. "Do I have to participate? I’m not even one of these covenant things."

"Up to you."

She tilted her head, considering. Her tan skin caught the lamplight, making her look like she’d been dipped in honey. "What happens if I walk out?"

"Nothing. Door’s right there."

Natalia’s frost had stopped spreading across my floor, which I took as a good sign. She stood near the window now, her arms wrapped around herself. The white streaks in her purple hair pulsed faintly.

Akari glanced at the door. Then back at me. Then at the other women.

"Nah. I’m good." She stretched out on my rug like a cat claiming territory. "This is way too interesting to miss."

Skylar grabbed the bottle from where Akari had set it. "I’m gonna need more alcohol."

Cel nodded from her spot on my bed. "Seconded."

Emi raised her hand timidly. "Me too."

Natalia crossed the room and took the bottle from Skylar, taking a long pull without comment before passing it to Cel.

Thank the fucking stars for Devil’s Advocate. For Silver Tongue. For every ability stacked in my kit that made my words land right, made people believe me when I told them impossible truths, made them want to stay instead of running.

The bottle went around. Cel took a small sip, her periwinkle eyes watering slightly. Emi drank and coughed, her antennae bobbing. Even Natalia went back for seconds.

When it came to me, I shook my head. "Need to stay sharp."

"Coward," Akari said, but she was grinning.

The game restarted with all five of them slightly buzzed and me sitting against my bed frame, watching them rearrange themselves into a loose circle. Bartholomew chose that moment to poke his head out of his terrarium, surveying the chaos before deciding sleep was better.

Smart snail.

"Okay." Akari cracked her knuckles. "Since we’re apparently doing this, and since the cosmic dating sim wants a show..." She looked directly at me. "Dare."

Skylar snorted. "Of course you pick dare."

"What can I say? I like living dangerously."

Emi giggled, the alcohol hitting her lightweight frame fast. "What do you think Satori’s gonna make you do?"

"I’m not making her do anything." I leaned back. "Someone else has to give the dare."

Natalia sat up straighter. "I’ll do it."

The temperature dropped about five degrees.

Akari’s emerald eyes gleamed. "This should be good."

Natalia’s smile was pure ice and sharp edges. "Take off Skylar’s shirt. Slowly. And put on your own nightie again."

"That’s it?" Akari laughed. "Easy."

She stood up in one fluid motion and grabbed the hem of the black shirt, pulling it up over her head with exaggerated slowness. The fabric rose past her flat stomach, then higher, revealing that she wasn’t wearing a bra underneath.

Emi made a small sound.

Akari tossed the shirt at Skylar’s face. "Thanks for the loan, Bubblegum."

She bent down to retrieve her black lace nightie from the floor. The fabric whispered against her skin as she pulled it on.

"Better?" She struck a pose.

Natalia’s expression remained neutral. "Adequate."

Akari settled back into the circle, this time wearing significantly less fabric. The lace did absolutely nothing to hide the generous curves underneath.

My regenerator brace felt suddenly very tight.

"My turn." Akari’s grin was all teeth. She pointed at Emi. "Truth or dare, sunshine?"

Emi’s face was already red from the alcohol. "Um. Dare?"

"Kiss Satori. With tongue. For at least ten seconds."

Skylar choked on her drink. "That escalated."

Emi looked at me, then at Natalia, then back at me. "Is that... okay?"

Natalia shrugged. "You’ve already done worse."

"Natalia!" Emi’s whole face went crimson.

"Am I lying?"

Emi stood up on shaky legs and crossed to where I sat. She knelt down in front of me, her hands fidgeting with the edge of her tank top.

"You don’t have to," I said quietly.

"I want to." She leaned in, her breath smelling like whatever Carmen kept in that bottle. "Is that the Nectar talking?"

"Does it matter right now?"

"Yes."

I cupped her face with both hands, my burned skin tight against her soft cheeks. "Then I think you want to."

She kissed me.

Soft at first. Tentative. Her lips parted and her tongue touched mine, and the Nectar flooded between us like it always did. She made this small sound in the back of her throat, pressing closer, and her hands gripped my shoulders.

I counted to ten in my head.

At twelve seconds, she pulled back gasping.

Her pupils were dilated, her lips swollen, and she was breathing hard.

"That’s..." She touched her mouth. "That’s not fair."

"I know."

She stumbled back to her spot, and Cel immediately put a steadying hand on her shoulder. Emi leaned into the touch, still dazed.

"Well," Akari said. "That was educational."

Emi pointed at Cel without looking up. "Truth or dare."

Cel’s posture was perfect. "Truth."

"Do you want to kiss him too?"

The room went silent.

Cel met my eyes across the circle. "Yes."

Natalia laughed, cold and sharp. "At least she’s honest."

"Your turn, Ice Princess," Skylar said.

Cel’s jaw tightened at the nickname, but she turned to Natalia. "Truth or dare."

"Dare."

"Take off your camisole."

Natalia raised an eyebrow. "Interesting choice."

She stood up and peeled the silk over her head without hesitation, tossing it at my face. It smelled like her shampoo and something colder.

She stood there in just her shorts, her body a study in elegant lines and dangerous curves. The Cryo-Lich Ring glowed on her finger.

"Better?"

Cel’s cheeks were pink. "Noted."

Natalia sat back down, completely unbothered by the fact that she was half-naked in a room full of people.

"My turn." She pointed at me. "Truth or dare."

"Truth."

"When did you start actually caring about Cel?"

I looked at Cel. She was watching me with those too-smart eyes, already cataloging my micro-expressions.

"The cave. When she iced my burns despite running on empty, and then punched me for being stupid."

"That’s weirdly specific."

"You asked."

Natalia nodded slowly. "Okay."

I turned to Skylar. "Truth or dare."

"Dare. Obviously."

"Let Emi give you a hickey. Wherever she wants."

Skylar’s eyebrows shot up. "That’s..."

"Too much?" I offered.

"No." She looked at Emi. "Get over here, sunshine."

Emi crawled over, still tipsy and flushed. "Where should I..."

"Neck. Make it visible."

Emi positioned herself between Skylar’s legs and leaned in. Her mouth found the pale column of Skylar’s throat, and Skylar’s breath hitched. Emi’s lips worked against her skin, sucking hard enough to leave a mark.

When Emi pulled back, there was a deep purple bruise blooming just below Skylar’s jaw.

"There." Emi’s voice was breathless.

Skylar touched it, her fingers trembling slightly. "Yeah. There."

The game continued. Dares got bolder. Akari dared Natalia to sit in my lap until her next turn, which Natalia did with zero hesitation, grinding down just enough to make her point. Cel dared Emi to let Skylar take off her tank top, which left Emi in just her bra and shorts, covering herself with her arms until Akari told her she looked cute.

By midnight, we were all half-undressed and the bottle was nearly empty.

Akari stretched, and the movement made her nightie ride up dangerously high. "Okay. My turn again." She looked at me.

"Dare."